Sam Allardyce could be appointed Crystal Palace manager within the next 48 hours after the club's sacking of previous boss Alan Pardew earlier on Thursday, sources have told ESPN FC.
Allardyce, who was forced to resign as England manager after 67 days on the job in September following revelations in the wake of an undercover newspaper sting, is the favoured candidate of Palace chairman Steve Parish and the club's American co-owners, Joshua Harris and David Blitzer, to succeed Pardew, and could be installed before the Watford game on Boxing Day.
Sources close to the negotiations have told ESPN FC that the 62-year-old is ready to return to management, with Palace being a position that he would be ready to consider.